Graphic by Cindy Couling
Investigating the history of a house
New exhibit features home
By Jean Newton
Every house has a story to tell and that's the focus of a new exhibit called "Within These Walls ... " at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. The exhibit, sponsored by the National Association of Realtors, opened in mid-May, to provide museum visitors with a journey through American history by way of a 250-year-old, timber frame home and the families who lived there.
"It's really an ordinary house with extraordinary history, and that's what makes it unique," said Jeff Barnett, president of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors. "It's also an emblem of the role of homeownership, in laying the foundation for this country."
The exhibition is centered around a 2 1/2-story house that stood in Ipswich, Mass., for more than 200 years. Built in the 1760s, just 30 miles north of Boston, the house stood from colonial days through the early 1960s, when it was saved from demolition by an Ipswich citizen and then brought to the Smithsonian Institution, according to curators at the National Museum of American History.
Though the house was exhibited in the museum from 1967 to 1982 as an example of colonial building practices, for nearly 20 years it has been off-view to the public. As part of the new exhibit, museum staff conducted research, focusing on the social history of the house. Through the exhibition, a picture of everyday home life is played out against the backdrop of eras in American history, such as colonial America, the American revolution, slavery and abolition, the industrial revolution and World War II.
The exhibition highlights five of the many families and households who called the house home. Their stories show some of the ways Americans have used their houses, in addition to raising families, as a place for achieving social status, seeking freedom, organizing for social change, earning a living and contributing to war efforts.
"The exhibit not only fosters the American Dream of homeownership, but also encourages families to start researching the history in their own home," said Barnett. "Like the Smithsonian's house, your home has a story to tell and a place in history. Whether you own your house, rent it, or live in an apartment, you can play house detective and discover the history of your home."
For those who aren't traveling to Washington, D.C., for summer vacation, the "Within These Walls ... " exhibit information can be found at www.americanhistory.si.edu, as well as details about how to conduct research.
One of the first places to start the research is by examining the building itself. Looking at the architectural features and construction elements, as well as noting details about the roof, walls, chimneys, doors, windows, floors and foundations, may provide valuable information. Talking to people, including neighbors or former owners, is another way to find out more about the house and its place in history. Finally, looking at records and deeds and other resources can add historical facts. Putting together a scrapbook is one way to begin a family history that can be easily added to in the future.
"There is a history in every home and you can find that story," said Los Gatos historian Bill Wulf. "For most of us the history is about day-to-day living, the celebrations, the sad times."
For instance, the home in which Wulf grew up and where he lived until 1991, took two years to build, from 1946 to 1948. The home was later sold to a friend who rented it out for some time, then sold again to new owners who rebuilt and restored it. Wulf visited the new owners to tell them some of the stories associated with the house.
"It was a prefab house and it took two years to put together after the pieces were delivered," recalled Wulf. "The most historical thing about the home was the doorway in the kitchen where we made marks on the wall with the date and how tall we were. That was our mark on the house."
Born in 1939, Wulf is an historian by avocation with a special interest in the railroad and its role in creating history. An excellent resource on Los Gatos history, Wulf has written or collaborated on the writing of 65 history books with book number 66 currently in progress. Wulf had several recommendations for investigating the history of houses in Los Gatos.
One of the first steps is to find out who lived in the house. One way to do that is to get the chain of title, and Wulf suggests working with a professional title company as the easiest way to obtain that information. Finding out when the house was built is important, as well. Checking county records and tax records can help determine the year a house was built, since the taxes go up dramatically when a house is built on an empty lot.
Wulf finds Sanborn Fire Insurance maps are invaluable for showing structures on property. The maps date back to 1881 and stop at 1924. Realtors sometimes have access to the maps, which can be found at the Los Gatos Library. The library also carries City Directories that contain information about property in Los Gatos. Two other resources are the San Jose Library California Room, with historical materials available for research and the local Los Gatos Museum.
In the early 1990s, the town of Los Gatos hired Ann Bloomfield to survey all structures built before 1940, which is the cutoff date for the historic heritage designation. Bloomfield's findings are on file at the town's planning department, or at the reference desk at the library, said Wulf. In addition, several historical books have been published, including one on historic houses, by architect Alastair Dallas called Los Gatos Observed and a book by Dr. Bruntz called The History of Los Gatos. Newspaper articles might also provide clues. The local newspaper archives date back to July 1881, and can be found at the Los Gatos Library.
Saratoga historian Willys Peck thinks newspaper clippings are one of the best resources. A former reporter and editor, who also practiced law for 30 years, Peck calls himself a "historian by default," because he has lived in Saratoga since 1923, the year after he was born.
"One of the most important things a person can do is to preserve history," Peck said. "I would stress that when you cut out clippings from a newspaper, or save photos, that you date them. It is frustrating, as a historian doing research, to encounter newspaper articles without a date."
Peck cites an example of the importance of preserving history by relating a story about the famous architect Julia Morgan.
"There are several houses in Saratoga that have been designed by Julia Morgan. However, much of that history was lost when, upon her retirement, she destroyed all her files. One may not think much about it at the time, as anything of special significance, but when we look back, we realize that it is important," said Peck.
Active with the local historical association, Peck recommends the Saratoga Historical Museum, as a good resource for people looking for information. Peck said the museum features quite a few historical documents and a large collection of photos, but cautions residents to make arrangements in advance, if they would like to do some research. Peck also cited the Saratoga Community Library as another source for information on homes in the community.
"Even if you aren't able to research the history of your home in detail, you can start by recording important events and dates to preserve history for the future," said Silicon Valley Association of Realtors President Jeff Barnett. "We encourage you to keep history alive by telling your story."
The Silicon Valley Association of Realtors provides current information and demographics on homes in Los Gatos and Saratoga at www.siliconvalley-realtors.org.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
